Cowboy
by NinjaKittie
Summary: Daryl had been working outside all day and just wanted something sweet. Almost like magic his wish came true but at what cost. A young mother and child there in long sleeves sunglasses and scarfs. Daryl knew it all to well but he didn't know what he was getting into when he met Carol Ann. THIS IS EXTREMELY OOC
1. Chapter 1

Daryl had been in the barn all day and was happy to be in the shower. He liked his farm but being the only one got lonely and he missed having Shane and Lori here. Carl's laugh always put a smile on his face. He would kill to have a kid of his own. He just wanted a good woman.

He was caught in the middle of his siblings. He had Merle who had a different girl in his bed every night and was the most "well known" bacheler in Grat County. Then he had his sister Lori who had settled down with a man named Shane and had a kid and was pregnant with another.

They used to live with Daryl but when Shane got an amazing job offer in Atlanta they had to go. It was only 3 hours away but Daryl still missed his nephews laugh. Lori was due in about 4 weeks with a bay girl. Daryl already had her room ready. She wouldn't be spending the night in it until she was about 5 but he liked to shop at the baby store in town. That's how he met single mothers.

Daryl really wanted to be a dad. But, he didn't want to be married. If he loves someone enough to have a family with them then he didn't need a piece of paper to remind him of it.

Daryl put on his version of pj's. It was just sweatpants and a no shirt. It was about 7:30 and the sun wouldn't go down for about another hour or two.

It was gonna start getting cold here. It is mid September and the leaves were about to change and pumpkins would be picked and things would just get better here in Georgia. Especially if you had someone to share it with.

Daryl decided he would go out and work on his bike before the sun went down. He wouldn't get too dirty. Just more grease stains on his already stained pants.

He walked outside and started to work when he heard a car pulling into his driveway. He looked and saw a small red Ford truck pulling into his drive.

When the car stopped he watched as a woman and small child got out and they got out what looked like cookies. Daryl's heart stopped. The girl couldn't have been more then 7 and she wore sunglasses and long sleeves. It was 75 degrees. Her mom was the same way but had a scarf too. He remembered that was what his mom always wore out. They were being beaten.

"Hello sir. I'm Sophia and this is my mommy Carol. Would you buy some girl scout cookies?" the little girl asked she was shy and shaking, she was scared.

"Hello Sophia. I'm Daryl Dixon and I would love to buy some cookies. Why don't you two come inside. I just made dinner and I would love people to share it with." Daryl asked calmly.

He knew that maybe if she got comfortable with him she would listen to his advice.

"Please mommy I'm hungry and daddy didn't let me eat." Sophia asked her mother.

Daryl's stomach turned. Not allowing your child to eat was a worse crime then murder.

"No honey daddy wouldn't like it" The woman responded. He didn't quite catch her name but, even though he couldn't see her face he could tell she was beautiful.

"I can keep a secret if you can" Daryl spoke to her. He heard her stomach growl and knew she had to eat with him. "Come on" Daryl talking Carol by the arm and leading her into his home.

He didn't know why but he had to save her and Sophia.


	2. Chapter 2

When they got inside, Daryl reached over and took Sophia's sunglasses off. The bruise looked infected. Daryl was shocked, how could a man do this to a 7 year old.

"I have a shirt you can wear for dinner and before you go back there you can put this shirt back on okay sweetie" Daryl told her handing her one of Carl's shirts. Yes it was a boy shirt but he didn't really think Sophia minded. "I'll put something on that after dinner too okay?" Sophia nodded and Daryl pointed her in the direction of the bathroom.

Daryl removed Carol's sunglasses and thought about how beautiful she was even with the bruises. Daryl handed her a shirt and pointed her to his room.

"One question. Why do you stay with him?" Daryl asked. Catching her off guard.

"I don't have anywhere else to go." She responded. Then she turned and walked into the room.

Daryl went into the kitchen and started making plates. He set the table put the food on it and got out water bottles. When Sophia came into the dinning room, she was covered in bruises. Her arms just looked horrible. Daryl would help both her and her mother, he was sure now. He put Sophia in a chair and made her plate for her.

When Carol came out it took so much strength not to hug her and find out where she lived so he could kill the man that did this to her and Sophia. Daryl pulled out the woman's chair and pushed her in.

"I didn't quite catch your name outside." Daryl said while making his plate. He noticed she wasn't making hers so he made hers for her.

"Carol." She said. She was quiet. Merle would give her a nick name like little bird or mousey.

"It's nice to meet you Carol That is a beautiful name. My name is Daryl." Daryl restated to Carol she smiled. She had the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen.

"Your name means strong, caring." Carol said looking up from her plate. "Are you? Strong and Caring?" She asked taking a bite of the chicken in front of her.

"Well let's see. I own a farm and I do all the work. I have two strangers in my house eating my food, and I plan on helping them more then just this. What do you think?" Daryl responded taking a bite of corn.

"I think you are a regular cowboy. Nice and kind but strong and firm. How else do you want to help us? We don't even know you and you don't know us. Why do you want to help us?" Carol asked as she finished her plate. Sophia was done now too. Carol held Daryl's gaze for a long time before breaking it to tell Sophia it was time to leave.

"Wait." Daryl said catching Carol by the hand. "I want to help you because no one helped my mom or my sister or me or my brother. I want to help you before it's to late like it was for my mom." Daryl said. He never let go of Carol's hand. "You said the only reason you stayed was because you had no where else to go. Stay here. There's plenty of room, I can hide your truck back in the woods and in a day or two I can run you into town and you can file for divorce and a restraining order. For both you and Sophia, please Carol." When Daryl said her name he felt something. He felt protective.

"What do you want from me for this?" Carol asked scared.

"Company. Nothing more. Hell, I cook and clean and take care of everything else. I just want someone to talk to." Daryl said. What he said was true. He didn't want anything from her or Sophia. Just someone to talk to.

"Mommy can we please stay? I don't want to go back to daddy" Sophia said crying. Carol picked her up and held her close.

"We can stay." Carol said to Sophia but was looking at Daryl who smiled.

Daryl showed Sophia and Carol around the house and showed Sophia where she would be sleeping.

"It's pink! Daddy said that pink is an ugly color so I'm not aloud to have anything pink." Sophia said. She looked like she was going to cry.

"Well for as long as you are here this is your room. Pink is beautiful just like you." Daryl said. Sophia smiled.

Daryl left the room while Carol put Sophia to bed. When she came back out into the hall way Daryl lead Carol to his room where she would be sleeping.

"Thank you for everything." Carol said as Daryl got her out some pajamas.

"Your welcome. Thank you for staying." Daryl said setting the clothes down on the bed. "Do you want to go to the courts tomorrow or the Thursday?" Daryl asked turning around while Carol got dressed.

"What about school for Sophia? I would prefer to go tomorrow so they can see the bruises." Carol she then said okay and Daryl turned around and was surprised to see Carol already in bed.

"A friend of mine teaches the local kids. I can walk Sophia over there tomorrow morning with ya and talk to her about it." Daryl responded.

"Okay." Carol said. Daryl smiled then left the room. She could sleep up in his room. He always fell asleep on the couch anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

When Daryl woke up in the morning he saw two big blue eyes staring at him. He heard a giggle and saw the bright smile. She was missing two teeth and it just made her smile even more cuter.

"Morning Daryl!" She said with another giggle.

Daryl sat up and scooped her up and sat her next to him.

"Morning Sophia!" Daryl responded with just as much enthusiasm as she had. He smiled and she giggled. It was a cute giggle kinda like the one you hear in a movie. Not scary movie either.

"Sophia I told you not to wake him up." Carol said walking into the living room from the bathroom.

"I didn't!" Sophia said.

"She didn't I woke up all on my own." Daryl responded. His stomach growled and he wanted some breakfast. "You guys like cereal. I have Fruit Loops. I don't really make breakfast." Daryl said as he got up from the couch.

"Mommy I want Cinnamon pancakes!" Sophia said jumping up and down.

"Did you say cinnamon pancakes?" Daryl asked they both looked at him with big eyes. "I love cinnamon pancakes! They're amazing!" Daryl added.

"If you have pancake mix and cinnamon. I can make them." Carol threw in.

Daryl smiled. He was happy that Carol was here even if it had only been because of her husband.

"I would love that" Daryl said looking right into Carols eyes. She smiled.

It was such a beautiful smile. When she smiled he could barely notice the bruises or that she had a fake tooth. She was so beautiful he thought. Carol nodded and went into the kitchen Daryl followed her and got out a pan and showed her where everything was. Carol admired the close space between them. She liked it. He did too.

"One of my horses just had a baby and I was wondering If I could take Sophia out to see it while your cooking. If you don't want any help. The barn is right there and you can come out and see her too if you want." Daryl asked. He thought she wasn't the kind of mother who would just let her daughter go off somewhere with a total stranger.

"I don't need help and I think she'll love it." Carol responded. She smiled which made him smile and that was that.

Daryl told Sophia he had a surprise for her and she was jumping up and down wanting to know what it is. He smiled and picked her up and carried her out to the barn.

Daryl had 5 horses and with the new baby it was now 6. Daryl wanted Sophia to forget about everything in her life and his friend Andrea told him to have her take care of or help take care of a horse it would keep her mind occupied and slowly she would forget all the bad things that happened to her and her mama.

When Daryl showed her the pony the look on Sophia's face made the world stop.

"My horse just had her a few days ago. I want her to be yours." Daryl told Sophia. She smiled.

"Do I get to name it?" Sophia asked.

"Yep. She's all yours. I'm gonna teach ya how to take car of her when you get back from school today. But I think she needs a name." He told her.

"Clementine. Clem for short." Sophia responded. Neither one of them had noticed that Carol was now in the barn too.

"That's a beautiful name Soph" Carol said breaking the silence.

Daryl turned and smiled.

"I think it is too." Daryl told Sophia but never stopped looking at Carol.

"Breakfast is ready" Carol said not breaking eye contact with Daryl. He shook his head and Sophia lead them both out of the barn basically running to get pancakes.

After breakfast Daryl washed up the dishes while Carol got herself and Sophia ready. They would drive to The Greene family farm and drop Sophia off the go to town and take care of things with Carol.

When They got to The Greene farm Patrica came running out giving Daryl a great big hug.

"Mama Pat this is Carol Ann and Sophia Ann. Sophia would like to come to your school." Daryl said picking Sophia up and having her laugh.

"Well ain't you the cutest little thing. Of course she can come to school here. They stayin' with you?" She asked as she lead them inside the house Sophia now walking right next to Carol.

"Yep. They're gonna be there for awhile. I can tell you everything tonight when we come to pick Sophia up if you'd like. Can you make your famous hamburgers?" Daryl asked.

Patrica said yes and lead Sophia down a hall to the "classroom". But before she did that Sophia gave Carol a hug and kiss and then gave Daryl a hug.

"You're coming back right?" Sophia asked him.

"Of course. I'll always be back" Daryl told her. They both waved good bye and then headed out to Daryl's black Ford truck.

"Are you really gonna tell her everything?" Carol asked when they were driving.

"Yeah. She'll think I stole ya or something if I don't. She won't tell no one but God." Daryl told Carol after seeing the worry on her face. He reached over and held her hand. "You're safe now." Daryl told her in the calmest voice he could do.

"Thank you" She responded.

They never let each others hand go.


	4. Chapter 4

When they got to the lawyers office Andrea was standing outside waiting for them. Andrea and Daryl were friends and she was the top lawyer in Grat county. She had agreed to be Carol's lawyer and to everything else he had told her. Sending all the papers to his house and keeping where she was and who she was with a secret.

"Hi you must be Carol. I'm Andrea." Andrea said shaking Carol's free hand. Carol was scared so she was holding Daryl's hand. He ha a few things to do and Andrea said legally he can't be in the room.

"Why don't you go in and I'll talk to Carol" Daryl told Andrea who nodded her head and walked inside.

"I can't do this alone" Carol said tearing up.

"I trust Andrea with my life. She's the best and she'll take care of things I can't. You have to go to the doctor to get evidence gathered up. Sophia has to too but we'll worry about that another day okay? You need to go with her and I will be back in exactly 2 hours okay?" Daryl told Carol who now had a tear falling from her eye.

"Okay. You'll come back right?" Carol asked.

Daryl shook his head yes and hugged her. He watched her go into the office and headed back to the truck. He had some places to be and was glad Carol didn't put up to much of a fight or he would be late.

It had been exactly 2 hours and Daryl was proud of himself. He had been shopping at 5 different stores. He went to the baby store and got Sophia some clothes and toys. He went to the stable store and bought some pink brushes for Sophia for Clem. He liked shopping for people that weren't him, Mama Pat says she gets that from Herschel. He loved getting gifts for people, it brought him simple joy. Daryl had also been to Ami's store and bought Carol some clothes. That was the only time he felt weird. He figured Ami and Carol were the same size so Ami had just gotten him clothes and rang him up and he was out of there in 10 minutes. The Home Goods store mad him feel manly again. He got a hammock, a bell and some other things. Usually he'd flirt with the girl at the register but this time he didn't and she wanted another "special" visit and he respectfully declined and got in his car faster then ever before. He thought that girl was really hot but, he didn't like the thought of her influence on Sophia. In that moment he realized how much like Herschel he really was. He had done the same thing with Lori and him. Herschel had settled down with Mama Pat because of them. Said that we needed a home a good one. One with a Mom and Dad. Daryl smiled. He had also been to the grocery store and gotten food fit for actual humans and some more pancake mix and stuff for dinners this week.

"Daryl come inside" Andrea said coming to the truck then basically running back inside. Daryl's heart beat faster and ran after her. He thought Carol had ran away and breathed a breath of relief when he saw her in Andrea's office.

"Carol's pregnant" Andrea said. Carol cried a little bit more. Daryl held her hand. "In the State of Georgia, if a woman is pregnant with the husbands child she legally cannot leave him until the child is born. So if Carol stays at your house you are technically holding her hostage." Andrea added.

Daryl's heart sank. He now realized that he was actually slowly falling in love with having Sophia and Carol at his home. He wasn't going to lose them so fast. He would fight for them.

"Could we do what Shane did?" Daryl asked Andrea remembering that when Lori was divorcing Rick she found out she was pregnant. So what Shane did was pre-adopt the baby and was legally its father. That's when they had Carl and how Lori got full custody.

"If Carol agrees then yes" Andrea said.

"If I agree to what?" Carol asked more concerned now then sad.

"Pre Adoption. Where Daryl would adopt your unborn baby and Sophia. You would no longer have any ties to Ed once your divorce if final. You two have until Friday to decided on what is going to happen. I have another Client and I expect to see both of you Friday morning at 8 am. Goodbye." Andrea said. Daryl could tell she wanted to cry because when she wanted to cry she became the biggest bitch known to man.

When they got back to Daryl's it was about 3 o'clock and School wasn't over for another 45 minutes.

Daryl carried in all the bags and Carol watched him. He put all of Sophia's things on the couch and Carol's on the chair.

"I hope everything fits. I had my friend Ami get everything. You guys look about the same size. There's two dresses and some jeans and real pj's and shirts. I got a lot of T-shirts and Short sleeve shirts and some tank tops. I hope you like it all." Daryl told her. Carol picked up one of the dresses. It was a bright yellow and pink sun dress she'd never had one. It was shortish and spaghetti straps. She loved it.

"Ed would've never let me wear these things." Carol said. She cried a little but this time it was tears of joy. "You are going to let me wear this?" She asked him so happily sad. She clutched the dress.

"You are your own woman Carol. You let yourself do what you want to do. I bought that for you because I thought you would like it. Do you?" Daryl asked. She felt owned by someone. No one should ever feel that way he thought. The way she looked at him in that moment made all the fighting they had done on the car ride home worth it.

"I love it" She basically whispered. She threw her arms around Daryl.

She moved to look at his face and when looked into each others eyes. They knew. He leaned down and she stood on her tippy toes and they kissed. It was soft sweet and short. It was a beautiful kiss. Not smutty but fluffy. Nice and tender. It only last about 10 seconds and when they pulled apart they smiled at each other. She turned back to look at all her clothes and he just stared at her in awe.

"What did you get for Sophia?" Carol asked walking over to Sophia's pile of stuff. She looked threw it and loved all of her clothes from dresses to pants to shirts it was all amazing. There were a pair of dress shoes and sandals and tennis shoes and 2 pairs of cowboy boots. "Why two pairs?" Carol turned and asked.

"One is for riding and the other is for when I teach her how to take care of the horse" Daryl told Carol.

Carol smiled. She saw the hammock and the bell she pointed to it looking confused.

"The hammock is for out back the stars at night are beautiful. The bell is for when me or Sophia or both of us or you is somewhere on the property and you need us or food is ready." Daryl said with a smile.

"So you still want us to stay here even though I'm pregnant with a monsters child." Carol said tears filled her eyes again.

Daryl didn't know what came over him but he grabbed Carol by the hips and kissed her again. This time more passion and heat this time.

"Does that answer your question?" Daryl asked not making the distance between them any further.

Carol nodded.

"Are you really going to adopt the baby?" Carol asked.

"Yes" Daryl said.


	5. Chapter 5

Daryl was outside putting up the hammock and bell when he heard Carol holler for him. He came running to the front of the house. She was standing there staring at the drive way. The horses had gotten loose and were just walking around.

"Damn it woman I thought you were dying."Daryl laughed. The horses got out all the time. He would just shake a cereal bag and they would come back.

"I'm sorry" Carol said looking like she was going to cry. Daryl walked up to her.

"They're running horses, they can get out of anything. I thought maybe your husband was here. I ain't ready to lose you yet." Daryl told her. He didn't know if she wanted him to adopt the kids yet, every minute he didn't have an answer killed him.

"Oh okay. It's time to go get Soph we should probably go." Carol went to walk into the house when Daryl caught her arm and spun her around to look at Daryl.

"I'm never going to hurt ya. I might argue with you but I will never ever lay my hands on you unless you want me to. Same goes with Soph. I will never lay my hands on her unless its to hug her. "Daryl looked at Carol right in the eye. Carol leaned up and kissed him. She didn't know why but she felt safe with this man, a man that she had met yesterday.

They took a short cut to the Greene farm. They walked and about half way they were holding hands. Carol liked this. Short sweet kisses and a sweeter then honey man asking to raise her two kids they're own daddy didn't even want. She knew that this would be temporary due to mama Pat. Carol feels like she needs her approval to do anything with Daryl.

When they got to the house Sophia came running out to Carol and Daryl. She had a piece of paper in her hand. She stopped and had Daryl pick her up and showed him the picture.

"I colored it today in art. Can I hang it up in my room?" Sophia asked him.

"Yeah if you don't want to hang it on the fridge." Daryl responded putting her down.

She looked up at him confused.

"Daddy says that the fridge is for food not stupid drawings." Sophia looked like she wanted to cry. Daryl stopped and hugged her. He looked up at Carol who refused to make eye contact.

"Daryl! Daddy needs your help!" He heard his little sister Maggie yell from the front door. "Soph! Come here your helping me and Beth remember?"Maggie said scooping up Sophia and walking inside. Daryl looked at Carol who still refused to look at him. He shook his head and walked to his dad.

"You just gonna stand or ya gonna come inside?" Mama Pat asked. Carol nodded put on that fake smile she knows so well and walked inside.

She followed Mama Pat into the kitchen passing the dinning room and getting glares from Maggie and Beth Daryl's two little sisters.

"Carol I think you and me need to talk. Andrea called me. She's very close with my Merle, he's the oldest of my kids. Bethy in there's the youngest of all and of my girls. Daryl's my youngest boy. You are not going to do to him what Lori did to Shane. She forced him to adopt that baby. I love my daughter and Grandson but I'm not proud of her choices. I'm not telling you to go back to your husband however, I am telling you to not stay here." Pat said after a couple of minutes.

Carol's heart sank.


	6. Chapter 6

Carol put on her "good face" she wore it well through out dinner. Sophia passed out and Daryl was carrying her home. They hadn't said a word since Herschel brought up marriage and Beth flipped out. She screamed she's already married and the fact that she's fucking Daryl doesn't mean they should get married. Beth went up to her room after that and it was awkward silence after. Daryl was Beth's best friend and she didn't want to lose him to 2 kids and a wife. Carol understood. She was going to sneak out tonight.

"I don't want you to leave if that is what your thinkin about doin. I will track you down and bring you home if you do."Daryl said Carol didn't say a word. "I don't know much about Ed, but what I do know is that I love you and Sophia more then he does. I already love that baby and it doesn't even have a head yet." Daryl basically begging Carol.

The reached the house and Daryl put Soph in her bed. He came out grabbed Carol by her hand and led her back outside to the yard. There was a hammock that he'd bought and a a bag with books in it. He helped Carol in and then got in himself.

"Your mama said that she didn't want me doing to you what Lori did to Shane." Carol said after about hour. Daryl was quiet and they just watched the stars.

"Lori and Shane's relationship started back in high school. Lori was sleepin with him when he left for California to chase a girl. It broke Lori's heart and so she settled for Rick. Then when Shane came back, he saw how bad Lori was being treated and he cheated on her. So Shane saved Lori just like I'm saving you. Mama didn't like it when Lori and Shane did it but got over it when she found out she was pregnant with Judith. I don't want you to leave Carol. This is your home now. Your's Soph's and baby doe." Daryl smiled looking at her. He knew she loved him.

"Okay. I'll stay but, if in 6 months or 9 months she still doesn't like me I'm gonna go live with someone else." Carol chuckled.

They layed out there looking at the stars and talking about names until about 3 in the morning. Carol forgot all about Pat and Beth and Maggie and Herschel and Ed in those hours it was just her and Daryl and the baby.

"Goodnight Carol." Daryl said to her turning to walk to the couch and Carol caught him by the hand and smiled. She lead him to the bedroom.

"Mommy's and daddy's sleep in the same bed." Carol said. Laughing.


End file.
